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An heirloom breed, "White Icicle" radishes (Raphanus sativus) belong to the Cruciferae family. Much like miniature daikon radishes in appearance, "White Icicle" radishes are longer, slimmer and taper off, marking them as visually different. Like other radish varieties, the "White Icicle" radish is a cool-weather crop, but it is considered a summer radish and can tolerate warmer temperatures than other varieties.

Plant

As a summer variety of a cool-weather crop, "White Icicle" radishes can be planted as soon as the ground is workable and dried out in mid-spring. You can successively plant "White Icicle" radish seeds throughout the spring to have a steady harvest until mid-summer.

Plant the radish see 1/4- to 1/2-inches deep and allow 1 inch of space between plants. At seedling stage, thin the plants by carefully uprooting them, leaving 2 inches of space between plants. Leaving enough space between radish plants will encourage root development, as radishes that are grown too close together may only develop their leafy tops and very little edible root.

Conditions

"White Icicle" radishes thrive in full sun and well-prepared soil that is moist and well fertilized. Use a nitrogen-based fertilizer (21-0-0), applying 1/4-cup per 10-foot row, after the plants emerge. Keeping the soil debris-free encourages straight, even radish growth. Having evenly moist soil that does not fluctuate from dry to soaking wet is important, because the radishes may otherwise split. Twice a week, water to a 1/2-inch and do not let the soil dry out more than 1 inch below the surface.

Harvest

"White Icicle" radishes reach maturity 27 days after germination. Harvest the radish when it reaches 5 to 6 inches long. To ensure a crisp, spicy taste that is milder than the common red radish, encourage consistent, rapid growth of the radish plant by clearing away weeds and watering regularly. Remove any shade cover to guarantee full sun exposure. Slow-growing radishes that stay in the ground too long become soft, pithy and develop an overly hot taste.

Storage

Cut off the green, leafy tops of the radishes. Wash and store them in plastic bags to use within two to three days. Saute them lightly or use them raw in salads. Cleaned, dried "White Icicle" radishes refrigerated in plastic bags will last for five to seven days. "White Icicle" radishes can be eaten whole, sliced or split in half to serve alongside salads and they can even be pickled.

About the Author

Paul Schuster began writing in 2006 and has published in "Gardening Life" and "Canadian Gardening." Schuster is the director of the Toronto Botanical Garden, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Horticulture from the University of Guelph. He leads gardening workshops for elementary school children.